Road Trip: How To Safely Interact With Trucks

Holiday road trips are just around the corner. While you are on this adventure, the Florida Department of Transportation’s Safe Driving Campaign has tips on how to safely interact with large trucks:

• Don’t cut off trucks.  Total stopping distance is very different for a large truck than a passenger car. When you pass a large truck allow a car length for every 10 mph you are  traveling. Cutting it close with a truck can cut your life short.

• Stay out of the truck’s blind spots/No Zones.  Trucks have very large blind spots. (See diagram)

• Keep a safe distance.  While it is never safe to tailgate any vehicle on the highway, following too close is particularly dangerous around large trucks and buses because the size of these vehicles prevents you from seeing the road ahead and having sufficient  time to react to slowing or stopped traffic or another obstacle.

• Only change lanes when you can see both of the truck’s headlights in your rear view  mirror.

 

Source

• https://www.drivingskillsforlife.com/mediacenter1/latest-happenings/driving-tips/road-trips-how-to-safely-interact-with-large-trucks